Basketball New Zealand

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The NZ Tall Ferns let a significant international victory slip through their fingers in the dying stages as they fell 71-75 to Cuba in their opening game of the Good Luck Beijing tournament, the official Olympic basketball test event.

New Zealand have come close to knocking Cuba several times over the past three years and led by five points after three quarters, but could not hold them off down the stretch.

Guard Suchitel Avila hit a series of treys that switched momentum back in favour of the Latin Americans as they capped off a 24-15 run to victory.

“I felt we pretty had the game … not under control, but we were playing very well,” admitted Ferns coach Mike McHugh. “They upped their physicality and pressure, and hit a couple of threes that got them back into the game.

“From there, it went pretty much down to the wire. We’re not far away … it’s an experience thing more than anything else.”

Point guard Angela Marino led the Kiwis with 20 points (7/12 FG, 4/7 3pt, 2/2 FT) and six assists. Forward Lisa Wallbutton had 19 points (8/14 FG, 3/3 FT) and six rebounds.

The Cubans, ranked eighth in the world, are the only team in the tournament yet to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, but showed they are on track for a last-chance Olympic qualifying event in Spain in June.

“Everyone here is good,” said McHugh. “It’s a very high calibre tournament in terms of the powers of world basketball.

“There are no ‘gimmes’, but we have targeted the first three games to win or at least make some improvement each time.

“This was another step up for us against a world power. The real test will be at the Olympics in August, not in April.”

The Ferns, ranked 16th, face seventh-ranked Korea tomorrow in their second outing at the Olympic venue.

Good Luck Beijing Tournament

Beijing
Saturday, April 19
Cuba 75 (Yamara Amago 20, Yayma Boulet 20, Suchitel Avila 19) NZ Tall Ferns 71 (Angela Marino 20, Lisa Wallbutton 19)
Q 19-21
HT 38-38 (19-17)
3Q 51-56 (13-18)
FT 75-71 (24-15)

Box Score – NZ v Cuba

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